So, at last I have a new website. I’ve spent the last few days on this and not much else, I’ve been wanting something a little more managable for quite a while and took time out of what I was doing to (finally) make sure I represented myself and my art properly. Here’s the link:
Feel free to let me know what you think….
Today’s warmup drawing, I added the inks as an afterthought as I liked the sketch so much….
Here’s the original quick pencil sketch…
Just a quickie doodle today, been on the phone for hours this morning trying to sort out technical issues with the new internet connection. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAWN.
This morning’s warmup doodle…
Hope ye have a merry toime!
Quickie-doodle-thingy. wanted to play with the mapping nibs this afternoon.
…Been playing with this sketch for a night or two. With my colour work, I’ve been almost exclusively digital for a few years now but it’s my intention to get my traditional media chops up and move as much back into using ‘real’ paint for projects as I can, I enjoy using watercolours immensely but don’t have the necessary skills to knock the digital colouring on the head so I’ll be doing more and more of these doodles and we’ll see how I go….
the model is the lovely:
Used my ‘warming up’ time this morning to add some inks to yesterdays doodle, tipping my hat to the illustrators of the ‘Golden Age of Illustration’ here, so much to be learned from the past, my heroes include, Arthur Rackham, William Heath Robinson, Edmund Dulac, Willy Pogany, and of course, modern masters such as Charles Vess, Alan lee, David Wyatt, all superb illustrators and masters of the inked line …
Just playing around in front of the telly. I’ve been at the easel painting away and concentrating all day, I can’t tell you how much I enjoy just sitting and scribbling away (almost) aimlessly) to wind down at the end of the day.
today’s doodlings…
This seems to be a theme with me doesn’t it? I draw the little people on the back of a bird often, don’t know why. Anyway-here’s another.
I posted the line art for this before Christmas (see below somewhere…). a few days later I got out the watercolours and splashed some pigments around:
I haven’t been able to get myself into work mode over this holiday period, so, instead of becoming stale and incapable of knowing which end of a pencil is which (it’s true… after a long period of no art, I go loopy and temporarily forget how to draw), I’ve decided to just doodle myself senseless in front of the TV at night, here’re a few drawings from the last few evenings….
Another doodle drawn in front of the telly.
Life’s pretty hectic right now. I guess most people are feeling it. Family commitments, work commitments coupled with the fact that time passes by so quickly nowadays. I’m feeling pretty frazzled and wishing I could just walk into an old forest, find a comfortable branch, plonk my bum down and just while away the hours. Doing nothing. I guess I’ll have to content myself with this little drawing. (for now).
Today’s sketchings…. I’ve been illustrating a lot of pretty time-intensive work just lately and fancied a bit of instant gratification. This old witch and her pet moggy showed up and insisted I draw them- who am I to argue?
based on a quickie from one of my sketchbooks….
I’ve been very fortunate with this blog to maintain rather good daily stats, the only thing is, sadly, I don’t often get to see who stops by, I can only tell via the odd comment or the info the stats pages share… That said, I’d just like to say Merry Christmas to all those who swing by regularly and to those who just happen here by accident. Have a lovely Holiday Season- eat, drink and be merry!
Well, here it is… It came around quickly for me this year, what about you? I’ve been busy with the kids (aged almost four and two) and have been doodling away madly. Things are going great, but my, doesn’t time fly! (or is it just going fast because I’m now officially over-the-hill?)… A big thankyou to everyone for the kind words and to those who’ve commissioned me for artwork, I’ve had another varied year and some very interesting jobs to keep me busy, hope next years as good a year as this one’s proven to be!
Merry Christmas, happy Yuletide, Happy Holidays, however you say it, it means the same thing… don’t forget, it’s the season for ‘giving’.
I’ve had the sudden urge to scribble down a video or two tonight… here’s one I just added to youtube:
This is one of the interior illustrations for a little book I’ve written and have on the go in between other jobs. Merging both watercolour and digital mediums here, see earlier posts for more art from this story….
This one’s a recent drawing from a project I’ve been working on in my spare time, not sure if it’ll see the light of day, but it’s been very enjoyable so far….
Still not much else I can post up at the moment and I’m not the type to blog all about the ins and outs of my life, soooo, here’s a recent illustration outlining how I get from pencils to coloured illustration. I must admit however, in this particular instance I’m rather more fond of the inked piece than I am of the finished article…..
*click for a larger view*
I’m working on a little thingy right now… sketched up some conceptual stuff for the dragon in the story last night….
Here’s how it sat within the drawing once I’d made my mind up…. (I’ll post the finished art once I’ve drawn/painted it up properly)
I’m very pleased to announce that my book ‘That Space In Between’ (A collection of my personal drawings and sketches) is now available to purchase from Amazon.com. Her’s the link:
(Cover art below)
Just received proof copies of my new compilation of line art from the last ten years…. I’m very happy with the way they’ve turned out, and rather excited and will be plugging them everywhere (laughs)… I’m told by Amazon that they’ll be available to buy online in a week or two… I’ll update here as I go. Here’s the cover:
Today’s new drawing, drawn for a video tutorial demonstration…..
I’m putting a book together showcasing some of my line art drawings. The whole thing is taking a wee bit of time, more time than I thought it would in all honesty. Very much looking forward to seeing it in print. I will, of course, put up the details when it’s finished.
In the meantime….Here’s a recent illustration I drew for a children’s book.
Last night’s sketching in front of the telly….
More sketching in front of the TV last night….. funfunfun…
I’ve recently illustrated three books for Blake Education (educational publisher) and got to illustrate two of them in black and white (my favourite medium). here are a few of the illustrations I produced for the books….
I’ve been away for a few days but I managed to get a few sketches done, this is one of them…..
Also, I’m 40 in 3 days, I can’t begin to tell you how strange that feels….
Last night’s drawing…. Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful St. Paddy’s day!
I’ve spent a good few hours on this painting and I just wasn’t happy with the way it turned out. I’m a lot happier with how it looks as a monotoned image though. I may just have enough of a basis here for a decent drawing somewhere down the track….
so to compensate for it, I quickly sketched this little fairy…
I’m working on another image for myself while I wait for comments on my last batch of roughs for a book I’m currently illustrating…here’s the line art so far…
Here’s the line art from the other day with some colour added.
The latest drawing I’ve been working on in my free time. As usual, it’s waiting for a splash of colour which I’ll get around to doing soon. Sorry for the crappy scan. I only have an A4 scanner and I’d drawn this larger and had to piece it together in photoshop.
No Van Gogh or Rembrandt effort happening here…. Just a bit of fun with some pen and ink. It’s actually quite a likeness (laughs).
I had a few hours spare and wanted to colour the line art from the other day- here’s the result. funfunfun.
I started the day today putting some inks over the top of yesterday’s sketch. I’ll put some colour down soon. Here it is as it stands:
Yesterday’s drawing with colour added via photoshop….
I’m working on a promotional piece in my spare time. Here’s what I have so far. the image veritably flew from my hands-from sketch to line art in about an hour. I’ll be colouring this and laying in other images on the finished piece soon.
I inked this little fairy fellow before starting work today.
Last night’s sketch. This little fellow came through to say (a shy) hello.
In between my illustrative work today, I painted over yesterday’s drawing. I enjoyed this one immensely. it took approx. 2 hours to colour… Good old Photoshop.
Last night’s scribbling. I think I’ll colour this one when I get some spare time.
I’m just about to start work on my current book for today. Decided to use the drawing I’ve been working on in my (coughs) spare time to add some colour to.
I’ve been rifling through my files and came across this illustration. It’s a couple of years old (I think). Anyway, here it is, in keeping with the other image I posted tonight. My blog doesn’t really stay on one theme for long does it?…. (Digital drawing- photoshop CS3)
Here’s the drawing started yesterday-happy little fellow isn’t he. I’m calling this completed for now. I may colour it soon though….
A little personal image on the go…..
‘When one door closes, another opens….’. I’ve just finished the picture book I’ve been working on, I’ve just started another one and have one more to begin roughs for very shortly. Busybusybusy…. No new art to show, I think I may have posted this before, forgive me if you’ve seen it, if not, here’s an example of how I go about making a new illustration from sketch to finished art (drawn by hand, coloured in photoshop).
After being up very late last night and an early start this morning, the cover for the book’s now finished. just going to go through the interior illustrations and tidy up any loose areas.
I’ve been scribbling away at coloring the line art for the cover of the Children’s picture book I’m currently working on. I’m enjoying it immensely. After a rather time-consuming false start, this one actually seems to be flowing rather well.
Here’s the line art for the cover of my latest picture book effort. Looking forward to colouring this.
This one’s an old drawing from maybe 8-9 years ago. I’m still rather fond of it.
This image is an old one. I’ve spent a little while tidying it up this morning as I’ve always rather liked it, not quite sure if it’s finished yet, but here it is as it stands…
just added some ink to last night’s sketch before beginning work for the day…
I’ve finally completed the interior art for the picture book I’m working on (see earlier posts for more illustrations…). I’ve cropped the page as it sits quite small in the layout so you can get a better look. just the cover to go before I can call it completed.
I’ve been having a bit of a play in photoshop lately with new brushes. Fortunately, I have a whole heap of line art just waiting to be coloured. this tree has been asking for a splash of colour for a while.
I painted this speedy little watercolour last week. (just because).
I’ve coloured this illustration for the picture book I’m working on this morning. It veritably flew out of me…ON A MONDAY! Onto the next one after I’ve had some well-earned lunch.
I’m just about to start work on the last couple of images for the picture book I’m working on. It’s Monday and I needed a warmup so I coloured last night’s ‘Broomstick Babe’. 45 mins photoshop. (Have I ever mentioned how much I love this program!?)
I love drawing these Witchy old ladies….
I managed to find a place inside me with a modicum of discipline today. I’m so very close to finishing the picture book I’m working on. The double page spread (landscape format) has been a little challnging. I worked on one a while ago and I’d honestly forgotten just how hard they could be. No matter. things are continuing quite well-bodes well for tomorrow, my first full day since the Christmas/New Year break. This image is the 16th spread for the book. I’ll be spending tomorrow colouring it in Photoshop.
I didn’t manage to get a whole lot of art done over the yooltide break, but I did manage to finish this illustration off for the book. Just two more and the cover to go before I get onto my next project (which is vastly different in tone to this one).
More sketching in front of the telly tonight. I’ve been wanting to draw this character for a little while. Here he is:
I just found this old painting underneath my pool table in amongst a whole heap of other work from the last decade or so. I still rather like it. Painted in Watercolour/Gouache and acrylic (with some coloured pencil scribbles here and there).
I’ve been wanting to get that ‘traditional’ look with my illustrations on the PC for quite some time. I’ve been playing with different brushes and textures in phoshop for a little while and am slowly getting the work to look as I picture it in my head. I’m fairly pleased with the way this little drawing looks when it’s coloured. this’ll be cropped and used for the title page of the book I’m currently working on.
Hope everybody had a lovely Christmas!
I’m getting close to finishing the book I’m working on. I’m having a greattime with this book, it’s a little on the ‘cute’ side, but that’s allright. Nothing wrong with ‘cute’. Here’s the latest image. I’ve enclosed the preliminary line art also:
I’m not sure how much blogging I’ll be doing over the yooltide season so I’ll post this little drawing here and wish you all a very ‘Merry’ Christmas and hope Santa brings you lots of goodies and wish you all a fun, but safe time. Merry Christmas!!!
A new drawing for a book I’ll be spending more time on next year. I’m working in silhouettes for the book, which pleases me no end, it’s always a challenge to convey emotion in an image without the usual amount of detail.
Been working on my latest children’s picture book for a few weeks. Here’s one half of the latest one, just the line art at this point, I may post the finished version over the next day or two….
I’ve always had a thing for mature women….
